VHS is back, baby.
After vinyl, it was only a matter of time before this fondness for the vintage moved to our visual media. Sure, it’s an imperfect medium. Sure, I had to buy 3 copies of The Lion King because it was worn out in different places on each. But there’s a warmth in the soft, out of focus colors that just bring me back.
When VHYes came to my attention, it was the all-star cast of comedy darlings that grabbed me. Kerri Kenney, Thomas Lennon, Mark Proksch, Charlyne Yi, and John Gemberling all have roles that they make the most of. Kenney’s segment, “Painting with Joan,” in particular stood out to me due to my own fondness for Bob Ross. I would say by and large, the comedy in this works with sharp writing and fun improvised bits in equal measure—no small feat considering the amount of time each segment has to work with.
The cast may have been what initially drew me in, but when I left, what really stuck with me was the framing device. The connective tissue of this movie is the story of Ralph, a 12 year old boy (Mason McNulty) who gets a VHS camera for Christmas and promptly tapes over his parents’ wedding tape. Although the litany of late-night TV, cheesy commercials and true crime series are all fun, the real magic lies in the moments we see of Ralph’s life. His creativity, his friendship with Josh (Rahm Braslaw), and his struggles—including his parents’ marriage falling apart in front of him.
Both of Ralph’s parents are played admirably by Jake Head and Christian Drerup, but Ralph himself is performed with spectacular ease. Acting natural is challenging, and McNulty pulls it off with aplomb. His story escalates in ways I certainly didn’t expect, and it’s both hilarious and poignant.
Director Jack Henry Robbins has an interesting voice, slipping in some commentary about immigration issues by using sexy illegal Swedish aliens from space in between Max Headroom style reality glitches and a QVC host bullying an Antiques Roadshow host. In interviews, Robbins has mentioned his admiration for the punk ethos that pervade the accessibility VHS afforded us. That affection is on full display here, and even those who weren’t there may still enjoy the film device from the sheer amount of heart Robbins puts in. Nate Gold as DP and co-creator also deserves mention for his efforts, creating some really stellar shots that enable the VHS gimmick to enhance instead of distracting from the movie.
My biggest complaint is also perhaps a bit of a compliment, in that I just wanted more. The movie is very short, with a running time of only 72 minutes, and Robbins has mentioned that there are hours of unused footage. I would have definitely been willing to sit through more of this movie, especially if we got more of Ralph’s life. While Jack Henry Robbins has a deft hand with these moments, and I understand the appeal of “leave them wanting more,” they are perhaps a bit too sparsely deployed.
Despite this, VHYes is a fun look backwards without abandoning a critical lens. The cast is excellent, and made me laugh out loud several times. With this unique filming device attached to a movie that excels in the right places, Robbins proves he can get it done.
